Diagnostic ultrasonography of equine lens and posterior segment abnormalities.

PURPOSE: To define the indications for equine ocular ultrasonography and to provide representative ultrasonographic images of lens and posterior segment diseases. METHODS: Retrospective study. Equine medical records dating from January 1983 to March 2001 were reviewed. All cases that: (1) had a lens and/or posterior segment abnormality; and (2) received a complete ophthalmic examination and ocular ultrasonography were included. RESULTS: Forty-three cases (n = 64 eyes) out of 112 total cases of equine lens and/or posterior segment abnormalities qualified. The following conditions were identified ultrasonographically in order of decreasing frequency: cataracts, vitreal opacities, retinal detachment, lens luxation, endophthalmitis, microphthalmos, choroiditis, lens rupture, lenticonus, buphthalmos and phthisis bulbi. Ultrasonography often enabled diagnoses to be made in the presence of anterior opacities in both surgical (pre and/or postoperatively) and nonsurgical cases. Additional ocular conditions were identified in adults with cataracts more frequently than in foals with cataracts. CONCLUSIONS: Cataracts were the most common lens abnormality identified in horses that received ocular ultrasound examination. Cataracts were commonly found in association with other ocular abnormalities. Ultrasonography was a practical and effective method of evaluating the lens and posterior segment, particularly in cases with anterior opacities. Ultrasonography also provided critical information with regard to the potential for surgical removal of cataracts and was a valuable component of postsurgical follow-up.

Peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation in HepG2 cells.

HepG2 cells, originally derived from a human hepatoblastoma, contain peroxisomes which could be separated from mitochondria and other subcellular organelles by density gradient centrifugation. To determine whether this cell line was a suitable model for human peroxisomal fatty acid beta-oxidation, we investigated the ability of these cells to catabolize very-long-chain fatty acids (VLCFA). HepG2 cell homogenates or digitonin-disrupted cells oxidized both long chain fatty acids and VLCFA, although at somewhat lower rates than human liver homogenates. beta-Oxidation of VLCFA was observed in both peroxisomes and mitochondria of HepG2 cells. Peroxisomal beta-oxidation was independent of carnitine, insensitive to antimycin A and rotenone, and not blocked by an inhibitor of carnitine palmitoyl transferase I. HepG2 peroxisomes contained immunoreactive acyl-CoA oxidase, the first enzyme unique to the peroxisomal beta-oxidation pathway. In addition, HepG2 peroxisomes contained VLCFA-CoA synthetase activity. These results suggest that HepG2 may be a useful model system for the study of human peroxisomal metabolic processes, including beta-oxidation of fatty acids.

Comparison of intravenous cefoxitin prophylaxis with intraoperative cefoxitin irrigation for the prevention of post-cesarean-section endometritis.

The effectiveness of intraoperative irrigation with cefoxitin was compared prospectively with that of a short course of intravenous cefoxitin as prophylaxis against endometritis. One hundred three patients who underwent primary cesarean at University Hospital, Jacksonville, Florida, were randomized into two study groups. The first group received intraoperative cefoxitin irrigation. The second group received a short course of intravenous cefoxitin prophylaxis and intraoperative saline irrigation. The resulting incidence of endometritis was 3.8% and 4%, respectively. There was no statistically significant difference between the use of the cefoxitin solution and the short course of intravenous cefoxitin.